Project Gutenberg 2003-02-01 Public domain in the USA. 491 Paine, Thomas 1737 1809 Pain, Thomas Common Sense Wikipedia page about this book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Sense Produced by Norman M. Wolcott. HTML version by Al Haines. "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine is a political pamphlet written during the late 18th century, specifically in the context of the American Revolution. This influential work argues for the independence of the American colonies from British rule, presenting compelling reasoning against monarchy and hereditary succession, while advocating for a government based on democratic principles and the rights of individuals. It is deeply rooted in Enlightenment ideas, emphasizing natural rights and the importance of popular sovereignty. At the start of the pamphlet, Paine sets the stage by addressing the flawed distinction often made between society and government, positioning government as a necessary evil resulting from human shortcomings. He critiques the English constitution, highlighting its complexities and inherent flaws, particularly regarding its monarchy. He poses provocative inquiries into the nature of kingship and the arbitrary power it holds, ultimately providing a rationale for the colonies to seek independence. Paine's urgent tone and powerful arguments aim to awaken the American populace to the necessity of self-governance and to persuade them towards a collective movement for liberty, making a case that the fight for independence is not just a local issue but a global concern for the rights of all mankind. (This is an automatically generated summary.) Reading ease score: 57.6 (10th to 12th grade). Somewhat difficult to read. en Political science United States -- Politics and government -- 1775-1783 Monarchy E201 Text Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches Category: History - American Category: Politics 144479 2025-08-02T08:57:04.303402 text/html 138507 2021-01-08T23:41:02 text/html 123521 2025-08-02T08:57:09.058367 application/epub+zip 124472 2025-08-02T08:57:06.006376 application/epub+zip 124473 2025-08-02T08:57:04.962391 application/epub+zip 212657 2025-08-02T08:57:11.123342 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 204072 2025-08-02T08:57:08.262351 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 171625 2022-09-02T11:37:28.185432 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 134489 2025-08-02T08:57:03.995409 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 134447 2021-01-08T23:41:02 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 19159 2025-08-02T08:57:11.317340 application/rdf+xml 10832 2025-08-02T08:57:05.458396 image/jpeg 3088 2025-08-02T08:57:05.204390 image/jpeg 53188 2021-01-08T23:41:02 application/octet-stream application/zip 52014 2021-01-08T23:41:02 application/octet-stream application/zip 122045 2025-08-02T08:57:04.316384 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://book.klll.cc/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia